To Enchant a Mermaid

by S. L. Williams

  “Did Etan tell you what will happen if he doesn’t take her to the crone?”

  He let out a soft yelp. Of course, he knew. There was nothing he didn’t know. Having him tell what he knew was the problem.

  “He deserves his fate. He shouldn’t have gone picking with her to begin with.”

  Isabis wasn’t one for visitors. You never knew if you would leave with what you needed or if you would leave at all. Only the foolish or desperate made deals with her. I wasn’t sure which category Etan fell under.

  “I never understood Mother’s apprehension, but now…” I thought back on the first day Sarai arrived and shuddered. “I tried to look into her mind, and I haven’t been the same since.”

  Naga snarled, and the hair on his back and tail stood on end. He didn’t like Sarai, and he obviously didn’t approve of my interest in her.

  “Something was waiting for me. I backed out before I got in too deep. I was afraid.” I threw a stone into a bush and watched as a fairy darted out and made an obscene gesture. “I won’t lie to you. I wanted to see what it was. If I didn’t have self-control, I would have been trapped. Myrena was right. She is the one.”

  He growled.

  “I believe she’s the one. And I know how to make sure.”

  He lunged and bit my ankle.

  “What’s wrong with you?” I shook him off. “I need you to go to Etan and tell him anything but the truth. I don’t need him running after us. He will only make things difficult.”

  His ears twitched, and he nipped at my robes.

  “Go on.” I placed my hand between his pointed ears. “I will see you in a few days.”

  He licked my hand and dashed back into the garden. I stood and wiped the stardust from my hand.

  “Momma, what have we gotten into?” I looked up at the marble statue of Mother and traced the petal of a stone rose. “I miss you, lady, more than you could ever know.”

  The flower softened and turned a brilliant shade of red. The scent of Mother’s favorite perfume filled the air.

  My eyes burned with tears I couldn’t shed. “I will find a way to fix all this. I promise.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Sarai

  “Wake up.” Kamryn stomped into the room. A ball of blue fire floated inches above his hand. “We have to prepare for the day.”

  I tried to shield my eyes with my hand and squinted up at Kamryn. The combination of sound and light left me disoriented. “What are you doing?”

  “I cooked breakfast. If you don’t hurry, it will grow cold. Here. Fresh clothes.” He tossed a bundle onto the bed and stomped back out.

  I blinked twice, my mind still half asleep. I did my best to keep my eyes open, but it was difficult. I was so comfortable. All I could think of was the warm blanket and soft bed.

  Five more minutes. That’s all I needed, and I would get up and start the day.

  “Rise and shine!”

  I reluctantly opened an eye. Light spilled through an open window. A sweet scent drifted in on the breeze. And Kamryn was hovering over my head with a scowl on his face.

  “It’s noon. You can’t sleep all day.”

  I frowned and rubbed my sore eyes. I had to look a mess after spending the night crying into my pillow, but he didn’t seem to notice or care.

  “Here’s some food. Tea, milk, and warm coconut biscuits with honey.” A tray appeared in his hands. “Eat some oatmeal. Try some fruit.” He fussed like a worried parent.

  I took the tray, placed it on my lap, looked at the food and let out a silent sigh. I pushed the fruit around in the bowl and added the milk to the tea. I wasn’t hungry and didn’t like that he felt like he could tell me what to do.

  “Don’t play with your food.” He tapped his foot.

  I looked at him and scowled. “Why do you care?” I mouthed. “What do you want?”

  “I think I found a way to help you.” He sat down at the edge of the bed. “It will be dangerous, and I don’t need you fainting on me because you let yourself waste away.”

  I sat back and closed my eyes. My brain was foggy, and his voice was too loud. My head throbbed. It felt like someone had thrown sand in my eyes.

  “Listen,” he snapped.

  I opened an eye and closed it just as fast. Why is he so noisy? Everything about him was just bright today. His pink locks, those purple eyes, the gold that lined his pristine white teeth—all of it was just loud.

  “Sarai.” I heard the frustration in his voice. “I can’t help someone who doesn’t wish to be helped.”

  I placed the tray on the empty space on the bed and rolled over. He’d already told me there was nothing that could be done. And even if I regained my voice, what could I do? Go back and enchant Grandmother, Sitario, and their armies? Even if I had the strength to do so, I would have to deal with the other kingdoms.

  “Fine.” He stood from his seat. “Lock yourself away. “Lie there and rot.”

  I closed my eyes and went back to sleep. I did the same the next day. And the day after that.

  On the fourth night of my self-imposed isolation, Cyntheria brought me dinner. She wrinkled her nose when she walked into the room, but I didn’t care. I blinked twice, then rolled over and hid my face beneath the blanket.

  “I brought you a letter. If you want it, you’re going to have to eat something for me.” She set the tray down on the table. When I didn’t move, she sighed. “Sarai, you really need to read this.”

  I didn’t want any news. Good or bad, it didn’t matter. I didn’t want to feel anything.

  “Please,” she said firmly.

  I got out of bed and dragged myself to the table. Cyntheria slid the tray in front of me. Sitting on a leaf was a small, folded square. With stiff hands, I managed to open the letter.

  “Dearest sister,

  We haven’t heard from Caressa or Calethea, and Father still hasn’t been seen. Grandmother has gone to Ithika to speak to King Fidelis. Servants whisper that she has gone in search of husbands for me and Gia.

  I don’t want to go, Sarai. I can’t leave Gia. She seems to fade as the days go by. I fear she’s growing ill.

  Sister, stay where you are. Knowing you are safe is more than enough for me. Please, take care of yourself.

  Love always,

  -Akello.”

  The room was pressing in from all sides. Something in my mind snapped, and I felt myself tumble into an endless abyss. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t move.

  Caressa. Calethea. Akello. Gia. I clamped my hands over my ears and rocked in the chair. Mother. Father. Their faces flashed through my mind.

  Something inside me fought to break free. My thoughts became a jumbled mess that suppressed and suffocated. They threatened to rip me apart from the inside out. I didn’t fight. I didn’t have it in me. I curled into a ball and cried.

  I cried for my family. For my home. For myself. I cried for all that I lost.

  “I want to go home. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” I repeated over and over again.

  A cool arm wrapped around me. “Cry it out.” Cyntheria’s voice cut through the fog. “Cry out your pain. Let it all go.” She rubbed small circles on my back.

  When the tears stopped and my chest settled, Cyntheria helped me to my feet. “Let’s get you to bed.” She handed me a cold glass. “Have a drink.”

  I sat on the bed and sipped on the lightly salted water. It settled my nerves and cleared the grogginess from my head.

  Where had my older sisters gone? Were their partners a part of Grandmother’s scheme? Were they hurt?

  I shook the dark thoughts from my mind and focused on the floating specks in the sky. Cyntheria sat beside me. She didn’t speak, and she didn’t try to comfort. I preferred it that way.

  We sat like that for hours. I dozed off eventually. When I woke again, Cyntheria was gone, and Kamryn was in her place. The window was still open. The sky was dark, and the soft patter of rain echoed through the warm room.

  I sat up, pul
led my knees to my chest, and stared at Kamryn’s still form. Thunder rumbled, and lightning streaked the sky. I closed my eyes and lost myself in the storm’s song.

  “I apologize.” His voice was deep and husky. “I didn’t know you had so much going on. I was callous to your emotions.”

  I lifted my head and stared at the candle behind him. His face was cast in shadows, but I could hear the sincerity in his words.

  “Etan has been searching for you, but I sealed the gate so you could have some time alone. I sent him a message advising that it won’t open it until you’re ready.”

  “Thank you,” I mouthed.

  “If you need to talk, I am here to listen.”

  I looked away, unable to meet his gaze. “I—" My mouth felt dry. “I don’t want to marry Etan.”

  “Okay.”

  My eyes widened. “You don’t think I’m being selfish?”

  Etan had made his intentions known from the beginning. He’d gone in search of a wife and risked his life in the process. He had shown me nothing but patience and kindness the entire time, but there was just something about him that didn’t sit right with me. I couldn’t place my finger on it, but there was something off about Etan.

  “That doesn’t mean he owns you.”

  “But—"

  He held up a slim finger. “You are young. Settle your soul before you tie it to another. If you fear you will have nowhere to go, you are welcome here. It seems like you and Cyntheria have grown close.”

  A peace like no other filled the hole in my heart. Nueva Vida was too loud, the servants too nosey, and the advisors had begun to follow me around as if I would steal the paintings off the walls.

  “I would like that. Thank you.”

  He cleared his throat. “Mother once said that when she saw you, she saw a fire in your eyes that rivaled the mischief in mine. She said you reminded her so much of your mother... Myrena left everything behind and managed to move on with her life. It wasn’t easy for her either, but she managed. You aren’t weak, Sarai. You’re just lost.”

  Lost? Is that what he called what I felt? The fog that clouded my thoughts and the pain that felt like a physical wound was more than me being lost. I couldn’t expect him to understand when he had somewhere to call home. When he knew his brother was safe and sound in his bed.

  “Mother never spoke of her friends, but I remember your mother from the garden. She was beautiful, but she looked mean.”

  He laughed, and something inside me responded to the glorious sound. “Yes. She rarely smiled, but her heart was large, and she loved deeply.”

  The love he felt for his mother was obvious. It was beautiful, and it made the ache in my chest worse. I was tired. Physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. But I couldn’t stay in this room for the rest of my life.

  I had to find a way to get home and save my sisters before it was too late. I had to apologize to Father for leaving.

  I could never return. I had seen too much, and I wouldn’t be able to live knowing there was so much more to see. I could travel the world like Rylo and learn about new cultures.

  “You said you could help me. What do I have to do?” I threw my legs over the edge of the bed.

  “You don’t have to worry about that now.”

  “I have to do it. For me,” I mouthed.

  He stared at the rain for a long time before speaking. “There is a witch who lives in the marsh. She is a wicked thing that deals in magic of flesh and bone. She demands a gift. If she does not like what she is brought, she takes your youth. If you go, you will have to take something she wouldn’t dare refuse.”

  “I don’t have anything to give her.” The bit of courage I was able to muster dissolved. “You know that.”

  “Lucky for you, I know the perfect offering. Have you heard of Sclena’s mirror?”

  I shook my head.

  He leaned back onto his elbows and cleared his throat. “They say that when the world was dark, the twin sisters Sea and Sky were separated by the gods. Sea was jealous that her sister, Sky, was able to see everything that happened in the world from her perch in the heavens.

  “Sclena threw a fit. Her tears flooded the land. Her siblings worried she would destroy everything they created so they traveled to the Void and told it of the destruction their sister had brought upon the world.

  “The Void gave them a mirror that allowed Sclena to see anything she wished to see. Jealous of her sister and her magnificent gift, Sky stole the mirror and hid it where Sea would never find it. It has switched many hands in all these years, but last I heard, the goblin queen had it in her possession. If we get that mirror, you will get your voice back.”

  Taking it from one to give to another didn’t sit right with me. I knew what an enchanted object was capable of. Dealing with an item that belonged to the goddess was foolish.

  “If it belonged to the goddess, to her it should be returned,” I warned.

  The Sea Goddess was known for being temperamental, her moods constantly shifting like the tide.

  “She hasn’t had it for thousands of years. I’m sure she has forgotten all about it. Plus, it’s the only thing I can think of that would match your worth. If we give her anything else, you won’t be walking out of that marsh.”

  A frisson of foreboding raced through me. Did it truly matter if it switched from one hand to another? The Sky Goddess was the one who stole it in the first place. Would my goddess fault me for trying to save my family?

  “How are we supposed to get it from this goblin queen?” If the mirror was truly special, I was sure she wouldn’t just hand it to us.

  Kamryn’s eyes flashed. “The queen owes me a debt. It’s time for me to collect.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Sarai

  It took three weeks for me to learn how to use rods to locate items that were lost, or in my case hidden by Kamryn and Cyntheria. Now it was time for me to use my newly gained skill.

  “Stay close to the ground. Don’t draw the dragons’ attention.” Kamryn helped me over a particularly rocky patch of ground.

  I turned to look at Drogon Mountain and its fearsome guardians. The dragons’ mighty scales shined like jewels beneath the sun’s light. From here, they were as big as whales and just as graceful. They dipped and dove between the clouds as if the sky was made of water.

  “The entrance should be somewhere around here!” Kamryn yelled from behind a rock. “Come on before you’re blown over the edge.”

  I followed his voice and joined him at the newly discovered entrance. It was nothing more than a gaping black hole that resembled a mouth with sharp stone teeth.

  I felt a tug on my hand. “Breathe,” Kamryn reminded me.

  “I got this.” I took two deep breaths.

  “Okay.” He nodded. “Remember, you are a future queen. You choose what happens, and you are in control of the situation.”

  I gave him a curt nod, and together, we stepped into the cavern. We were instantly shrouded in darkness, and memories of the leviathan from the sea came to mind.

  Kamryn whispered a few words, and bright flames sprang from his fingertips. It illuminated the tunnel, but it didn’t chase away the suffocating feeling of being locked in.

  “I came down here with my mother once.” He began to walk, and I was on his heels.

  I kept away from the walls and almost jumped on Kamryn’s back when I caught sight of my shadow from the corner of my eye. I knew the Sobasom lurked in the forest, but my imagination told me otherwise.

  “I was only seven years old and about this tall, and I was terrified” He snapped his fingers, and three other lights joined the first. “Mother told me stories the entire way down. Would you like to hear one?”

  I nodded and kept my eyes on the lights. I didn’t really want to hear a story. I wanted to go back to the open air and feel the sun on my face.

  The tunnel twisted and turned, the ground rocky and full of shadowed cracks that fueled my wild imagination. I
kept close enough to feel the heat coming off Kamryn’s back.

  “One time, when my mother was young and as free as the western wind, she and her right hand went on a trip to the wild lands. She said golden grass grew as tall as men, and the sky was always a light shade of pink. They slept in huts made of red clay with the wild ones who still spoke the old language. They taught them how to ride horses and scavenge for food and herbs. And they shadowed the shaman who taught them many things about the earth and its magic.”

  He kicked a rock out of our path. “One summer night, they were out in the fields, studying the constellations—which they use to determine the change of seasons—when Mother saw a star fall. They mounted their mares and took off after the light. It took them all night and a day to reach the star, but when they did, they made a wish.”

  He stopped and laid his hand against the stone wall. “This tunnel goes on, but the entrance to the city is hidden here.” He snapped his fingers, and the lights hovered inches above his fingertips. “See this?”

  He pointed at three connected triangles that had been carved into the wall and began to whistle a complicated tune. I jumped back when the wall shuddered beneath his touch. The stone ingested the light, and a thin webbing stretched out and formed a bright arch.

  The ground began to vibrate, and the rock curled inward, forming an entrance wide enough for the two of us to walk through. My mouth dropped. I reached out and ran my finger against the wall. It was hard and cold to the touch like the rest of the mountain. The entrance to the city really wasn’t an illusion or a trick played by the shadows.

  “The goblins have a maze of tunnels that were made to fool unwanted visitors. Many come down and never find their way back.” He offered me his elbow, as if we were going to a ball, and smiled.

  He patted my hand and looked straight ahead. Together, we stepped through the entrance and found ourselves in an immense cavern that was illuminated by huge blue-capped mushrooms. The humid air smelled like freshly turned soil.

  We walked down a narrow dirt path that turned into paved stone. The sound of our footsteps was loud in the spacious cavern, and I could pick out the sound of water trickling between stones. The farther we traveled, the warmer it got, and it wasn’t long before I was dripping sweat.